1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to traffic safety and communication methods, systems and/or devices, specifically for advanced warning and notification to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior approaches have employed a set of visual indicators mounted to a road to provide visual indications to approaching traffic.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,207 teaches locating the visual indicators in apertures or channels formed in a road, such that a top surface of each of the visual indicators is flush with the top surface of the road. The visual indicators are formed with an exterior that wears away, in a similar fashion to the top surface of the road, to maintain the top surface of the visual indicators flush with the road.
Also for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,384,742 and 6,597,293 teaches the placement of visual indicators at crosswalks and/or intersections. The indicators may be affixed or embedded in the roadway. The visual indicators may be activated by an activation device, for example, via a loop detector embedded in the road or other device that detects the approach of a vehicle. Alternatively, or additionally, the visual indicators may be activated by an activation device, for example, a manual switch such as a pedestrian operated push button, sensor, and/or conventional traffic timing mechanism. Power may be supplied via a utility grid, or from a photovoltaic array positioned on a pole adjacent the roadway.
Previous approaches employing road mounted visual indicators are inefficient, expensive and/or cumbersome. For example, providing power and/or communications typically requires the laying of wires or cable along or underneath the road, a sidewalk, and/or an area adjacent the road. Such often requires trenching across an entire length or width of the road. For example, prior approaches typically require digging up large portions of the road, sidewalk and/or adjacent areas, via trenching or saw-cutting. In addition to trenching of the road to create locations for mounting the visual indicators, previous approaches require additional trenching in order to provide power and/or communications. Thus, additional trenching is required to provide power to the visual indicators from an existing power producing source, typically located along a curb or street. Additionally trenching may also be required to provide power to the activation device (e.g., loop sensor, other sensor, manually activated button, etc.). Further, additional trenching may be required to provide communications between the activation device and the road mounted visual indicators.
Such prior approaches typically also require the installation of a costly transformer box to transform power from a higher voltage (e.g., 110V or 240V provided by a utility grid) to a smaller voltage amount (e.g., 12 volts) for use by the road mounted visual, or by the activation devices.
Despite market demand, no known previous approach has successfully addressed these issues. Know approaches have also failed to adequately address minimizing power consumption while maximizing efficiency and sensory output. Thus, prior approaches miss a very high percentage, such as 90%, of potential implementations for in-surface devices, due to concerns over cost and/or inconvenience.